Vanishing edge A novel

This offbeat series launch from Kells (Girl Underwater) introduces an appealing crimefighting team. Curmudgeonly chief ranger Rick Corrigan has what he calls a situation at an abandoned luxury campsite perched above a lake in California's Sequoia National Park. To look into the case, Corrigan teams Felicity Harland, a fledgling agent with the Investigations Services Bureau (in essence the FBI for the National Parks), with Ferdinand "Hux" Huxley, the ranger who discovered the abandoned campsite. When the body of TV star Tatum Delancey turns up in the lake, Felicity and Hux begin searching for Tatum's male camping companion--not her husband--and try to determine whether she fell or was pushed to her death. As they hike through difficult terrain, they encounter a daunting number of false clues. Along the way, Felicity learns to rely on Hux's talent for finding people, while he respects how she's pushing herself to recover from a broken back but is "stubborn as hell." Sharply drawn characters and striking descriptions of park scenery more than compensate for less than assured plotting. Fans of Scott Graham's National Parks mysteries will want to check this one out. Agent: Beth Miller, Writers House. (Nov.)

A new agent investigating an abandoned glampsite in Sequoia National Park confronts the elements and her own physical limitations as she searches for answers in Kells' debut. Personal tragedy and a broken back have rerouted Felicity Harland from her FBI work to a career as a Special Agent with the Investigative Services Bureau, the government agency looking into crimes in national parks. Though Felicity had hoped to be assigned to Alaska, her first detail involves taking care of California's nine parks. She feels let down when her first call seems barely worth following up on. Sequoia National Park Ranger Corrigan, annoyed at an abandoned campsite at Precipice Lake, suggests to Felicity that it might be something more. When she arrives, Felicity can't tell whether the curmudgeonly Corrigan thinks there's been an actual crime or just has it out for the camping--sorry, glamping--outfitter working to get Silicon Valley and Hollywood's finest into the parks. A quick call to Glampist tells Felicity nothing--they're more concerned about their prestige customers' privacy than the law--but Felicity is certain she'll be able to find the missing campers if only she can survey the site. But that's a problem in itself, given that it's 22 miles from the ranger station. Corrigan feels like he's done his due diligence by alerting ISB and declines to make the trip with Felicity, but his best employee, Ferdinand "Hux" Huxley, is curious enough to get involved, and Felicity's shepherd mix, Ollie, is excited for the adventure. Felicity relies on her ad hoc partner's expertise, judgment, and shortcuts as the two navigate everywhere from mountain peaks to chilly April lakes in search of what they hope will be spoiled glampers rather than dead bodies. A determined professional duo investigates wilderness wannabes: What's not to like? Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.